BeverleyMag Issue No.113 June 2023

Editor’s note

Welcome to the June edition of the magazine. I hope that you are all keeping well and are enjoying the warm spell that we are having. It is still very tough for everyone with the current cost of living crisis and the state of the world that we live in. I don’t ever remember things been as bad as they are now - please continue to use the local businesses, shops, tradesmen and services that advertise in the magazine - it really does help our local economy, the local employment situation and ultimately the planet when you do.

We have an interesting and varied range of topics in this edition for your enjoyment including a House and Home Feature that looks at Creating A Boutique Style Bedroom, we also have a feature on Vintage, plus much more We also have our usual round up of all the New Books to read this month as well as a feature on Hiking. Roy Woodcock takes a look at the new BMW 5 Series in his Motoring Column

We have a new team member to welcome this month, Sarah King has joined the editorial team and will be writing the monthly Gardening column - this month she takes a broad look at gardening / flowers / Vegetables. The Food & Drink section has two great recipes from Erkan at The Olive Tree: Beef Tagliata and some delicious Savoury Muffins for you to try at home. We also have our regular Wine Column with Roy Woodcock who relays the latest wine news and takes a look at Sparkling wines and also the best buys currently available. As usual we finish off with Fiona Dwyer’s ‘food for thought’

Until next month take care and look after each other

Editor

Magazine Team

Managing Director: Nic Gough.

Sales Director & Editor: Jane Gough.

Advertising Sales: Heather Mapplebeck.

Distribution Manager: Phil Hiscott.

Finance Manager: JP Kinnersley.

Designers: Mervyn King, Adam Jacobs.

Photography: Clash Pix.

Contributors: Fiona Dwyer, Roy Woodcock, Chris Warkup, Rebekah Robinson, Helen Smith, Frances Lindley, Sarah King.

© Dalton Spire Limited 2023. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used or reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. All information contained in this magazine is for information only and is as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press.

We cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. Readers are advised to contact advertisers directly with regards to the price of products and/or services, referred to in this magazine.

Catch-up vaccinations available across East Riding for school students during May half term and summer holidays

Parents and guardians are encouraged to check their child’s red book or vaccination status with their GP.

The local schools’ vaccination provider IntraHealth is offering catch-up vaccination sessions on the Health and Wellbeing Bus and at local community centres during May half term and throughout the summer holidays.

The free NHS vaccinations offered are:

3 in 1 teenage booster (tetanus, diphtheria and polio)

MenACWY (meningitis and septicaemia – both normally given in Year 9 or age 14 – but available up to the age of 25)

HPV (the first dose for girls and boys is normally given in Year 8 or age 12 to 13 – but both doses are available up to the age of 25).

Upcoming dates across East Riding include:

East Riding Leisure Haltemprice

Tuesday 30 May, 9am to 3.30pm

Tuesday 25 July, 9am to 3.30pm

Tuesday 8 August, 9am to 3.30pm

St Nicholas Church Hall, Beverley

Wednesday 2 August, 9am to 3pm

There are also a number of dates for Hull:

The Acorns Children’s Centre (Hull)

Thursday 27 July, 9am to 3pm

Friday 4 August, 9am to 3pm

Priory Children’s Centre (Hull)

Friday 2 June, 9am to 3pm

Wednesday 26 July, 9am to 3pm

Thursday 3 August, 9am to 3pm

Lemon Tree Children’s Centre (Hull)

Monday 7 August, 9am to 3pm

Fenchurch Children’s Centre (Hull)

Friday 11 August, 9am to 1pm

All vaccinations are strictly by appointment only, which can be booked via email: immunisations. EastRiding@intrahealth.co.uk or by calling IntraHealth 0333 358 3397 (Option 2, then option 1 for East Riding).

Appointments are open to any child attending full-time education up to age 18 in East Riding or Hull, and home-educated children who live in East Riding or Hull.

Those aged 18 to 25 should contact their GP to arrange catch-up NHS vaccinations.

You can read more about the NHS vaccination programme on the website: https://www.nhs. uk/conditions/vaccinations/nhsvaccinations-and-when-to-havethem/

Public health also advises parents and guardians to check their child’s red book or with their GP to see if their MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccination is complete. This is particularly important because some teenagers have not had two doses.

Beverley Art Gallery in the Treasure House in Champney Road will be hosting a Hayward Gallery Touring Exhibition from Saturday, 27 May to 1 July.

The French painter, sculptor and designer, Henri Matisse (1869-1954) was one of the 20th century’s most influential artists. His vibrant works are celebrated for their extraordinary richness and luminosity of colour and his spectacular paper cut-outs were his final triumph. Matisse: Drawing with Scissors, a Hayward Gallery Touring exhibition from the Southbank Centre features 35 posthumous prints of the famous cut-outs that he produced in the last four years of his life, when confined to his bed. It includes many of his iconic images, such as The Snail and the Blue Nudes.

Matisse continued creating highly original works into his eighties. For his cut-outs he used paper hand-painted with gouache, which he carved into with scissors: ‘the paper cut-out allows me to draw in the colour … Instead of drawing the outline and putting the colour inside it…I draw straight into the colour’. The colours he used were so strong that he was advised by his doctor to wear dark glasses.

The lithographic reproductions in this exhibition are taken from a special double issue of Verve, a review of art and literature, published by Matisse’s friend, the critic and fine art publisher Tériade, in 1958, four years after Matisse’s death. The publication was planned during Matisse’s lifetime and the first lithographic plates were prepared under his direction a few days before he died.

Matisse began his working life as a lawyer, before going to Paris to study art in 1890. At first strongly influenced by the Impressionists, he soon created his own style, using brilliant, pure colours, and started making sculptures as well as paintings. In 1905 he and his colleagues were branded the Fauves (wild beasts) because of their unconventional use of colour, and it was during this time that he painted his celebrated Luxe, Calme et Volupté (Luxury, Tranquillity and Delight).

‘There is no gap between my earlier pictures and my cut-outs’, Matisse wrote; ‘I have only reached a form reduced to the essential through greater absoluteness and greater abstraction’.

Admission Free

Monday – Friday: 9.30am – 5:00pm Saturday – 9:00am – 4:00pm

Since starting up in 2018, WGS Glazing has gone from strength to strength. Founded by friends Richard Wharram and Edward Wheldon, their mission is to provide superb uPVC and Aluminium glazing products, great installation and service that is second to none across Hull and East Yorkshire.

Born and bred in East Yorkshire, Edd and Richard are passionate about the area. Richard has over 25 years’ experience installing double glazing so there is little he hasn’t seen and he heads up one of three fitting teams. Edd is on the management side of the company, and along with sales and surveying, he deals directly with clients.

WGS Glazing have grown from one team at the start to three skilled fitting teams 5years on, and have an excellent office team headed up by Trish, which is open between 9am-5pm Monday to Friday. We offer a full range of products and services covering all glazing needs from aluminium bifold doors, sky pods, uPVC windows, composite doors, replacement units and secondary glazing. We also do cut out work to truly transform your home. Contact us for your free, no obligation quote 01482 247080

www.wgsglazing.co.uk | sales@wgsglazing.co.uk

Edd says, “I hate being sold to and wanted to create a business that does things differently. We never pressure sell or hugely inflate our prices then offer killer discounts. We give a fair price first time round and being FENSA registered and guaranteed and Which Trusted Traders, we have consumer protection at the forefront and strive for customer satisfaction every time.” Richard adds, “Clients are dealing with us, the business owners, so they aren’t just a number to us. We have a vested interest in making sure clients are happy with our work, especially as the majority of our work comes from repeat business and recommendations.”

Richard adds, “we treat each job as if it were our own, minimising disruption, keeping everything clean and tidy. We have sourced the highest quality, energy efficient products and aim to keep our business as local as possible to support our area.”

For the love of Vintage

Whether your vintage collection is limited to a handful of pieces or your passion for antiques has taken over your home, chances are you can remember the first piece you owned.

And that’s often how the obsession starts - with a keepsake or a favourite flea market find.

We collect to archive and conserve the past; drawn to the craftsmanship of everyday objects from previous times, attracted by items of beauty or with sentimental value, and bound to heirlooms passed down through generations.

Building and curating a collection takes time, consideration and financial input but raking through salvage yards and flea markets is, for most, the highlight of the collecting adventure.

Curating your collection

As a shopkeeper think of each collection of vintage objects as a story waiting to unfold.

Whether it’s a portfolio of watercolours, a selection of vintage fabrics or an Edwardian dinner service, there is often a common theme such as colour, shape, size

or age to be found among all sorts of random pieces. A theme helps to create a narrative, whether it’s a personal collection or a group of objects for display in a shop. It’s a good way to help focus your eye when starting to build a collection.

Another way to create focus is to build a display around your hero’ piece - use a favourite item as a starting point and group with other items. It may be a Victorian lace panel displayed with similar vintage fabrics or an Art Deco cocktail shaker arranged with beautiful glassware. Let your interests guide your choices and you’ll soon see a pattern emerge.

Planning a buying trip

Create a wish list before heading out to the flea markets and salvage yards. Write down what you need but be realistic and flexible - you might not stumble across that Louis Philippe mirror to go above the sofa or mid -century chairs but there will be other items to unearth.

If you prefer a random approach, think about colours, shapes and textures. For instance, if you’re drawn towards pieces with patina

Vintage dealer Rochelle Dubois shares how to curate a collection of pre loved pieces, plus what to look out for on your next trip to an antiques market

Reusing vintage fabrics to make funky coat hangers

House & Home

and layers of paint, head towards the salvage stalls and industrial antiques. It’s also worth thinking about where your collection will go. If space is limited keep an eye out for smaller items such as ceramics and artworks and style up a kitchen shelf or bedroom wall. Furnishing a whole room or a workspace will consume stock quite quickly so consider the main pieces first, such as seating, and work up towards the details.

Having a fixed budget is a good way to cap spending. It will also determine the quantity and quality of your purchases. And, as most vendors only accept cash, make sure you’re prepared - as cash machines are not always available.

because it resembled the blue and white beaches in Cornwall, but more likely because of the Cornish clay used in the manufacturing process. A pair of 1950’s Cornishware mugs and dinner plates can be picked up for a few pounds; look for the original TG Green shield stamped on the back.

PAINTINGS & PRINTS

CERAMICS

Vintage trends come and go and while it’s always best to follow our own interests and passions, it’s interesting to see which items create attention at the antiques markets. The classic French confit pots, with their trademark yellow glaze, became so popular several years ago that demand saw prices more than triple.

A purse friendly and popular vintage ceramic is TG Green & Co household pottery. Thomas Goodwin Green created the cheerful blue and white stripe, said to be called Cornish kitchenware

Whether you’re on the lookout for a group of paintings or a single piece, the current appeal for all eras, from early Georgian portraits right up to 1970s abstracts, means demand is high and good pieces sell quickly. Some of the best places to uncover vintage artworks are the French flea markets, antiques fairs up and down the UK and house clearance sales and auctions. If budget isn’t an issue and you’re in pursuit of a heritage gem, or looking to invest in a known artist, it’s worth checking regional auction houses for listings of forthcoming art sales. These are listed by department to make sourcing easier, for example, modern art, decorative arts, antique prints or Old Master paintings.

Look beyond the frames. Glass is easy to replace, an ill-fitting frame can be swapped and oil paintings often look better unframed.

FURNITURE

Statement furniture needn’t be costly or limited to upmarket pieces. By choosing what you love or, more importantly, what your budget loves, you are investing in something that will give you pleasure on a day-to-day basis. Tables, seating and dressers are, in my experience, the most popular vintage furniture requests and are frequently chosen as forever pieces’

that can be moved from home to home or bought to add impact and focus to a newly renovated room.

Before making any furniture purchases check for woodworm; check for loose joints, uneven legs and staining or damage to surfaces and ask the seller for close-up photographs if you’re unable to view the piece in person.

Try using heritage paint colours and vintage fabrics to create seamless and fitting backdrops for your vintage furniture finds and artworks.

How to create a Boutique Hotel Bedroom

Give your bedroom a sophisticated, curated facelift with expert insight from Pippa Summersgill and Cori-Anna Lake, creative directors and interior designers.

Boutique hotels are in the business of creating relaxing and characterful relaxing bedrooms that exude personality while also ensuring a good night’s sleep. But why should these design secrets be reserved for professional spaces? Pippa Summersgill and Cori-Anna Lake, freelance creative directors, who have over 15 years of combined experience in interior design, share their tips for achieving this luxe look at home

PRIORITISE THE BED

‘Your bed defines your bedroom both in terms of space and function. While we always recommend dressing your bed in crisp, white linen, there are still plenty of opportunities to bring individuality to the room. Patterned headboards offer a great way to add vibrancy and texture, as do throws and cushions.’

CURATE A COLOUR SCHEME

‘There are no rules regarding the palette for a hotel room. However, we often find that keeping the colours here light and fresh creates a sense of calm and serenity, which is welcomed when you are away and is just as important while at home. Introduce singular pops of colour on curtains, armchairs and cushions to add interest without being overpowering.’

CONSIDER THE ESSENTIALS

‘Think about pieces that are commonplace in hotels that you love to stay in – almost every one will include a writing desk, accent chair and wardrobe. It is also important to ensure power points are accessible for charging phones – we often integrate charging pads into drawers in bedside tables. Accessible light switches above the bedsides are also a must.’

ADD HOTEL TOUCHES

‘It’s the little things that create a holiday feel.

Whether you are looking to treat yourself or give guests a warm welcome, a sleep balm and room spray on the bedside table will help to create the perfect ambience. It is nice if these also match the brand of hand soap,

shampoo and conditioner in your bathroom or en-suite. No hotel experience is complete without a tea tray. Vintage trays dressed with teas, coffee and a kettle, and a decanter of water on the bedside tables are nice touches too. Details like these will elevate your bedroom and make the time you spend there a little more luxurious.’

PILLOW TALK

A shapely upholstered headboard and an abundant pile of pillows (all the better for sitting up for breakfast in bed) will give a bedroom a boutique hotel look.

BUDGET MATTERS

‘Creating a boutique hotel feel doesn’t have to cost the earth –you just need to prioritise when to spend and when to save. Invest in comfort – good mattresses and bedlinen add the most excellent sense of luxury to a hotel room.

Savings can be made in sourcing vintage and antique pieces, such as

armchairs or wardrobes, which can be picked up inexpensively.’

New Books to Read this June

Gwen John: Art & Life In London & Paris by Alicia Foster

One of the most significant British artists of the 20th century, Gwen John made her life and work within the heady art worlds of London and Paris. This critical biography demolishes the myth of John as a recluse and puts her amid a cultural milieu that included James McNeill Whistler, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Paula ModersohnBecker and Maude Gonne. Art historian, curator and novelist Alicia Foster draws on previously unpublished archival sources to explore John’s many relationships with artists and writers, including her affair with Auguste Rodin, passionate friendships with Jeanne Robert Foster and Vera Oumancoff, and correspondence with the poet Rainer Maria Rilke and her Slade compatriot and fellow painter Ursula Tyrwhitt. With over 120 illustrations, the book offers a lively and meticulously researched portrait of John as a vital and compelling figure in 20th-century art history.

August Blue

by Deborah Levy

At the height of her career, concert pianist Elsa M Anderson – former child prodigy, now in her 30s –walks off the stage in Vienna, midperformance. Now, she is in Athens watching as another young woman, a stranger but uncannily familiar – almost her double – purchases a pair of mechanical dancing horses at a flea market. Elsa wants the horses too, but there are no more for sale. She drifts to the ferry port on the run from her talent and her history. So begins a journey across Europe, shadowed by the elusive woman who bought the dancing horses. A dazzling portrait of melancholy and metamorphosis, August Blue uncovers the ways in which we seek to lose an old story, find ourselves in others and create ourselves anew.

Pineapple Street

by Jenny Jackson

Pineapple Street in Brooklyn Heights is one of New York City’s most desirable residences, and home to the glamorous and wellconnected Stockton family.

Darley, the eldest daughter, has never had to worry about money. She followed her heart, trading her job and her inheritance for motherhood – but ended up sacrificing more of herself than she ever intended.

Sasha is marrying into the wealthy Stockton family, who are worlds apart from her own. She feels like the outsider, trying to navigate their impenetrable traditions and please her new mother-inlaw – plus her hesitancy to sign a pre-nup has everyone questioning her true intentions. Georgiana, the youngest, is falling in love with someone she can’t (and really shouldn’t) have – and is forced to confront the kind of person she wants to be. Witty, escapist and full of heart, with a cast of loveable flawed characters, Pineapple Street is a beautifully observed novel about the complexities of family dynamics, while also asking the age-old question: can money buy you happiness?

A Life of One’s Own: Nine Women Writers Begin Again

by Joanna Biggs

A few years into her marriage and feeling societal pressure to surrender to domesticity, Joanna Biggs found herself longing for a different kind of existence. Was this all there was? She divorced without knowing what would come next. Newly untethered, Joanna returned to the free-spirited writers of her youth and was soon reading in a fever, desperately searching for evidence of lives that looked more like her own, for the messiness and freedom, for a possible blueprint for intellectual fulfilment. In A Life of One’s Own, Mary Wollstonecraft, George Eliot, Zora Neale Hurston, Virginia Woolf, Simone de Beauvoir, Sylvia Plath, Toni Morrison and Elena Ferrante are all taken down from their pedestals, their work

and lives seen in a new light. Biggs wanted to learn more about the conditions these women needed to write their best work and how they addressed the questions she herself was struggling with: is domesticity a trap? Is life worth living if you have lost faith in the traditional goals of a woman? In exploring the things that gave their lives the most meaning, readers will find fuel for their own singular intellectual paths.

Yellowface by RF Kuang

RF Kuang’s latest is a literary thriller that explores ambition, greed and white privilege. Authors June Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be twin rising stars. But Athena’s a literary darling and June Hayward is a nobody. Who wants stories about basic white girls, June thinks. When June witnesses Athena’s death in a freak accident, she acts on impulse: she steals Athena’s just-finished masterpiece, an experimental novel about the unsung contributions of Chinese labourers during World War I. So what if June edits Athena’s novel and sends it to her agent as her own work? Doesn’t this piece of history deserve to be told, whoever the teller? That’s what June claims, and the New York Times bestseller list seems to agree. But June can’t get away from Athena’s shadow, and emerging evidence threatens to bring June’s (stolen) success down around her. As June races to protect her secret, she discovers exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves.

The Three of Us by Agbaje Williams Ore

A nice house, carefree life, doting husband and best friend who never leaves your side. What more could you ask for? There’s just one problem: your husband and best friend love you, but they hate each other. Set over a single day, husband, wife and best friend Temi toe the lines of compromise and betrayal. Told in three parts, three people’s lives, and their visions of themselves and one another begin to slowly unravel, until a startling discovery throws

everyone’s integrity into question. Full of intrigue, wit and a healthy dose of wealth and snobbery, This book is part-suburban millennial comedy of manners and partdomestic noir that will leave you wondering: whose side are you on?

The Guest by Emma Cline

Emma Cline is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Girls. Her newest novel is The Guest. Summer is coming to a close on Long Island and Alex is no longer welcome. One misstep at a dinner party and the older man she’s been staying with dismisses her with a ride to the train station and a ticket back to the city. With few resources, but a gift for navigating the desires of others, Alex stays on the island. She drifts through the gated driveways and sun-blasted dunes of a rarefied world, trailing destruction in her wake. The Guest captures the heat and potential danger of a summer that could go either way for a young woman teetering on the edge.

Cursed Bread

by Sophie Mackintosh

Elodie is the baker’s wife. A plain, unremarkable woman, ignored by her husband and underestimated by her neighbours, she burns with the secret desire to be extraordinary. One day a charismatic new couple appear in town – the ambassador and his sharptoothed wife, Violet – and Elodie quickly falls under their spell. All summer she stalks them through the streets: inviting herself into their home, eavesdropping on their coded conversations, longing to be part of their world. Meanwhile, beneath the tranquil surface of daily life, strange things are happening. Six horses are found dead in a field, laid out neatly on the ground like an offering. Widows see their lost husbands walking up the moonlit river, coming back to claim them. A teenage boy throws himself into the bonfire at the midsummer feast. A dark intoxication is spreading through the town and, when Elodie finally understands her role in it, it will be too late to stop.

YOUR POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER JONATHAN EVISON

I’m pleased to bring you the latest update from my office on the work we are doing to improve community safety in Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire.

In my role as Commissioner, I oversee the governance of Humberside Police on behalf of the public and I am delighted that the recent influx of new officers continues, bringing more police to our streets to cut crime and improve your safety. In April I attended an attestation ceremony with Chief Constable Lee Freeman where another 81 officers were sworn in and are now undergoing their basic training.

The number of police officers in the force is now at its highest for thirteen years and I was proud to be invited by the Chief to see them starting their journey to serve the public. The difference is being felt in our communities too, as the numbers of neighbourhood officers and patrol teams are swelled. We are constantly reviewing our financial situation to make sure that the numbers of police officers can stay at a high level, and I’m pleased to report there is no sign of that changing soon.

MORE POLICE = BETTER SERVICE

There will never be a time when we have enough police, which is why we are working hard to maintain and increase the numbers of officers. Crime will always occur, and the wide variety and types of crime is a completely different world, when compared to a few decades ago. Serious crime such as drugs, violent and sexual offences need highly trained officers and staff to investigate these offences, find and arrest those responsible and bring them to justice. Recently Humberside Police has been recruiting more detectives in addition to uniformed officers, which will improve investigations and convictions. More police means the Chief Constable can also staff other specialist teams, particularly the rural crime team based in Driffield working across the many rural communities of the East Riding. There have been some excellent results combatting theft of agricultural machinery, reducing wildlife crime and working with farmers to make their land and property more secure. I was particularly pleased to see recent arrests made for hare coursing, a cruel practice which brings offenders from far and wide into our countryside to hunt hares for sport and engage in illegal gambling.

The use of off-road motorcycles on farmland also causes disruption and officers are now better equipped to tackle this anti-social behaviour as part of Humberside Police’s Operation Yellowfin, which targets offenders both in urban and rural communities and has resulted in many stolen bikes being recovered. If you are experiencing problems with anti-social motorcycle use, don’t sit in silence, contact Humberside Police on 101 to report it, quoting Operation Yellowfin, which enables intelligence to be gathered, hotspots identified, and patrols deployed to the right areas.

Jonathan and Chief Constable Lee Freeman with the new officers who joined Humberside Police in April

Last year the Humber Violence Prevention Partnership was launched with funding from the Home Office. I chair the partnership board which brings together the Police, Councils, Probation and Public Health to examine the root causes of violent crime and co-ordinate the local response to reducing and preventing violence, including domestic abuse, violence against women and girls, knife crime and drug-related crime which sees criminal gangs exploiting young people to become involved in drug supply.

To make a positive difference in these areas of crime we need to change the culture, educate our young people, and provide programmes to divert children and young adults away from crime into more positive lifestyles. The Violence Prevention Partnership has made an impressive start in its first year with almost 30 projects given funding to work with young people. In Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire there are sporting activities such as Goole Youth Action’s ‘In Your Corner’ which engages with challenging and vulnerable young people aged 14-18.

The project has a strong boxing ethos of self-discipline, respect, self-belief, physical and a positive mental health, involving the support of a boxing coach and dedicated youth workers. Other programmes are working with adults who supervise or work with young people to train them in spotting and dealing with the signs of sexual harassment which could lead to abuse, sexual assault or rape. These projects are aimed at changing behaviour, encouraging bystanders to spot signs of abuse and what to do when it occurs. Over 200 people have been trained so far and there are more projects coming this year. For more information on the Violence Prevention Partnership visit www.humbervpp.org

INVESTING IN YOUR COMMUNITY

My Community Safety Fund recently announced the second round of successful projects to receive funding, totalling over £300,000 invested into our communities Humber-wide. We can provide funding of between £500 and £35,000 towards projects that meet the scheme criteria. A total of £1.1m has been allocated to the Fund running until 2025. Some of the latest projects in Hull and the East Riding include:

£32,000 for the PATT Foundation to work with exoffenders to provide education that will lead to a qualification in the horticulture and land-based sector and lead to employment opportunities.

£15,000 for Hull and East Yorkshire Children’s University’s Children In Care project to support children in care to reduce the disadvantages they may face and increase their aspirations.

£35,000 for the Forces Employment Charity to provide specialist programmes to support forces veterans in the Criminal Justice System.

£7,000 for Gilberdyke War Memorial Hall to upgrade their CCTV cameras and lighting to improve security.

If you are involved with a community group, non-profit organisation, Town or Parish Council and have an idea or project to cut crime, anti-social behaviour or improve safety where you live, visit the community section of my website to find out more. Each funding round will be advertised on my website and through My Community Alert so ensure you are registered to receive the latest news.

Following the success of the Community Safety Fund, I have also launched a pilot project in Bridlington to address anti-social behaviour, mainly centred around the impact of drugs. The area in the south of the town was chosen following feedback from residents to Humberside Police as part of their Humber Talking initiative. I’ll update you on the progress in a future article and, if successful, I will look to roll out more projects in other areas in the future.

To keep in touch with announcements and the latest news by email, sign up to My Community Alert at www.mycommunityalert.co.uk

For more information visit my website www.humberside-pcc.gov.uk or follow Humberside PCC on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

One of the sporting projects funded by the Violence Prevention Partnership

Erkan’s Beef tagliata

Erkan Sahindalbusiness owner at the Olive Tree on Lincoln Way, Beverley - and accomplished

chef shares his recipe for Beef tagliata.

➤ SERVES 4

Back when I started out as a chef, this was a mainstay of the lunch blackboards. It’s a lovely summer dish and an antidote to some of those heavy beef BBQ dishes.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SALAD

2 (approx. 300g/10.oz) courgettes (zucchini), peeled into long thin ribbons

3 tablespoons olive oil

a drizzle of good-quality balsamic vinegar, or use juice of ½ lemon for more zip

200g/7oz of new potatoes (Jersey royals are best), boiled until tender

50g/1¾oz rocket (arugula), washed and dried

60g/2¼oz coarsely grated pecorino (or use a vegetable peeler for pleasing long strips)

sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper, to taste

METHOD

Step 1

Take the steak out of the refrigerator about 2 hours before you want to cook it so that it comes up to room temperature. Pat dry with paper towel just before cooking and season generously with sea salt and black pepper.

Step 2

Preheat the BBQ to a high heat.

Step 3

Cook the steak for about 2 minutes on each side until nicely browned, then continue to grill for 8–10 minutes, turning every minute, for medium rare.

Step 4

Allow the steak to rest somewhere warm for 10 minutes while you prepare the salad.

Step 5

Place the courgette ribbons in a large bowl and drizzle over the

Savoury carrot & sun-dried tomato muffins

➤ Makes 12 muffins

➤ EASY

For this recipe, I use chickpea flour, which is a powerhouse of nutrients and minerals, high in fibre and protein. These muffins are also a fab way to squeeze extra vegetables into your diet, and carrots are a wonderful source of beta-carotene, which our body converts into vitamin A, one of the most essential vitamins to help prevent premature ageing.

INGREDIENTS

180g chickpea flour (also called gram flour)

40g buckwheat flour

30g nutritional yeast

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp salt

A twist of black pepper

400ml oat milk

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

30g pitted olives (I use Kalamata), finely chopped

40g sun-dried tomatoes, finely

chopped

2 medium carrots, finely grated

METHOD

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/ gas mark 6 and line a 12-hole muffin tray with muffin cases. In a large bowl, mix together the chickpea flour, buckwheat flour, nutritional yeast, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, smoked paprika, oregano, turmeric, salt and pepper.

2 In a separate bowl, mix the oat milk with the olive oil, olives, sundried tomatoes and carrots. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until you don’t see anymore dry flour.

3 Place around 3 tablespoons of the mixture in each muffin case, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until risen and golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tray for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool. down completely. Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.

olive oil. Toss with the vinegar or lemon juice and salt and pepper. Slice the potatoes in half and add to the bowl with the rocket. Toss again to combine and check for seasoning.

Step 6

Slice the steaks and serve on top of the salad with a fresh shaving of pecorino.

STONEBAKED PIZZA

KIDS MEALS

GARLIC BREAD

SPECIALITIES

90. Chicken Guvec: £10.00

Pan fried cubes of chicken with onions, peppers, mushrooms, garlic, cream, tomato sauce and herbs. Topped with mozzarella cheese and served with rice

91. Lamb Guvec: £10.00

Pan fried lamb cubes with onions, peppers, garlic, mushroom, cream, tomato sauce and herbs. Served with rice

92. King Prawn Guvec: £10.00

Pan fried king prawns with onions, peppers, mushrooms, garlic, cream, coriander, dill, tomatoes and white wine. Served with rice

PASTA DISHES

93. King Prawns: £9.50

Tomato sauce, dill, coriander, garlic and cream

94. Penne Pollo: £8.00

Strips of chicken cooked with onions, garlic and mushrooms in a creamy white wine sauce

95. Meatball Penne: £8.00

Home-made meatballs with tomato sauce

96. Spaghetti Bolognese: £8.00

Home-made Bolognese sauce with spaghetti

Turkish desserts

DRINKS

GARLIC BREAD

BURGERS

OMELETTES

BURGERS

SPECIALITIES

DONER KEBABS

peppers, mushrooms, garlic, cream, tomato sauce and herbs. Topped with mozzarella cheese and served with rice

91. Lamb Guvec: £10.00

Pan fried lamb cubes with onions, peppers, garlic, mushroom, cream, tomato sauce and herbs. Served with rice

92. King Prawn Guvec: £10.00

KEBAB SKEWERS

Pan fried king prawns with onions, peppers, mushrooms, garlic, cream, coriander, dill, tomatoes and white wine. Served with rice

PASTA DISHES

93. King Prawns: £9.50 Tomato sauce, dill, coriander, garlic and cream

94. Penne Pollo: £8.00

Strips of chicken cooked with onions, garlic and mushrooms in a creamy white wine sauce

95. Meatball Penne: £8.00

Home-made meatballs with tomato sauce

96. Spaghetti Bolognese: £8.00

Home-made Bolognese sauce with spaghetti

WRAPS

97. Penne Arrabiata: V £7.50

Mixed vegetables, chilli, Parmesan cheese and tomato sauce

98. Chicken Penne: £9.00

Tender cubes of pan fried chicken and mushrooms, cooked in a creamy tomato sauce with garlic and fresh herbs

SALADS

(Main Course)

99. Mediterranean: V £6.90

AMERICAN FRIED CHICKEN

Mixed leaf salad with fresh tomato, cucumber, onion, green peppers and parsley

100. Chicken Caesar: £8.50

Mixed leaf salad with strips of chicken breast, onion, cucumber, tomato and Caesar dressing

101. Greek Salad: £7.00

Salad leaves, tomato, cucumber, onion, peppers, black and green olives, feta cheese and olive oil with our special Olive Tree dressing

102. Halloumi Salad: £7.00

Salad leaves, tomato, cucumber, onion, peppers, black and green olives, halloumi cheese and olive oil with our special Olive Tree dressing

WRAPS

97. Penne Arrabiata: V £7.50

Mixed vegetables, chilli, Parmesan cheese and tomato sauce

98. Chicken Penne: £9.00

Tender cubes of pan fried chicken and mushrooms, cooked in a creamy tomato sauce with garlic and fresh herbs

SALADS (Main Course)

99. Mediterranean: V £6.90

Mixed leaf salad with fresh tomato, cucumber, onion, green peppers and parsley

AMERICAN FRIED CHICKEN

100. Chicken Caesar: £8.50

Mixed leaf salad with strips of chicken breast, onion, cucumber, tomato and Caesar dressing

101. Greek Salad: £7.00

Salad leaves, tomato, cucumber, onion, peppers, black and green olives, feta cheese and olive oil with our special Olive Tree dressing

102. Halloumi Salad: £7.00

Salad leaves, tomato, cucumber, onion, peppers, black and green olives, halloumi cheese and olive oil with our special Olive Tree dressing

EXTRAS

Turkish desserts

128.

Roy Woodcock’s World of Wines

shelves - less oak, more elegance, freshness and acidity. The fashion today is for dryness, minerality and sharp, steely characteristics which pair beautifully with food.

I’ve always been a lover of a Chardonnay, particularly the unoaked examples. Which is why I love Chablis so much. Unlike other Chardonnay wines, Chablis rarely uses oak-aging, resulting in a very different style and taste profile.

As wine lovers, does that ring any bells? Certainly in the 1980s Chardonnay was riding the crest of an international wave; more and more of us asked for it as our wine of choice and Chardonnay production was seriously big business. All this coincided with the appearance of huge multinational wine conglomerates, who began to flood supermarkets with affordable bottles. And the downside was these wine were not the refined Chardonnay of decades past - heavily oaked, packed full of creamy, buttery, sweet character; it became the wine for people who didn’t really like wine.

The backlash was inevitable amongst those who regarded themselves as “wine lovers” and for some it was almost a badge of honour to order or buy “Anything But Chardonnay”. Wine columns of the day would be littered with the ABC acronym.

Over time, wineries, faced with the backlash, began to react and certainly since the new Millennium we have been able to taste the results as a new wave of Chardonnay began to hit the

Best Buys for June

The Chablis wine region is the northernmost region of Burgundy and enjoys a cool climate which produces wines with more acidity and less fruitiness than Chardonnays grown in warmer climes. It is situated roughly halfway between the Côte d’Or and Paris and of France’s wine-growing areas, only Champagne, Lorraine and Alsace have a more northerly location.

Chablis is frequently described as having citrus and white flower aromas with dry, lean, light-bodied flavours of citrus, pear, minerality, and salinity. It rarely displays flavours of butter – an indication of oak-aging. One of the most desirable traits in quality Chablis is a long, tingly finish of high acidity, and flint-like minerality. Much of the lean and elegant taste of Chardonnay from Chablis is attributed to the qualities of the soil, climate, and traditions of the region.

Nowadays, the majority of the growers favour unoaked, tank fermented/aged wines although there are still a few traditionalists raising wines in used oak barrels

Emiliana O Organic Chardonnay

Price: £6.99 (was £8.99)

Where: Waitrose

When: Now

Why: The ‘O’ is for organic which is at the heart of the Chilean winemaker’s philosophy. This unoaked Chardonnay has refreshing citrus aromas and hints of tropical fruit flavours.

Hereford Tempranillo

Malbec

Price: £6.25 (was £7.25)

Where: Co-op

When: Now

Why: Argentinian red wine that’s richly fruity, spicy and well balanced. Perfect to combine with dishes such as red meat, cheeses and spicy cuisine.

with great success, particularly on a Premier and Grand Cru level. There are four appellations (protected wine regions) within Chablis: Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru and Chablis Grand Cru.

Petit Chablis wines can vary in quality - the best will be fresh and light with notes of white flowers and peach with zesty grapefruit notes and crisp acidity. The wines are best enjoyed cold and within a year or two of release to champion the refreshing dry taste. The majority of wines from this region on the supermarket shelves will be labelled simply as Chablis and the best ones have a seducing freshness and minerality and are packed with green apple flavours, notes of lemon, grapefruit and mint.

Chablis Premier Cru wines will certainly benefit from a wee bit of bottle ageing, about five years if you have the patience, and are seriously undervalued compared to other Burgundies. Depending on the Domaine, some of them will have seen some used oak. Expect richer fruit like pear, quince, starfruit and a distinctive flinty minerality.

Finally, Chablis Grand Cru, where you will most likely find some oak,

though again this will depend on the winemaker. Expect apricot fruit, orange zest, bruised apple, quince and more savoury notes like toast and peanut shell. Oak-aged examples will have aromas of almond, honey and that mineral/ earth characteristic. Those wines are real keepers and the best will benefit from cellaring for 10 years or more. Though these bottles will command a greater price tag, they are still fairly undervalued to its counter parts in the rest of Burgundy.

The best food pairings take advantage of the wine’s naturally high acidity to act as a palate cleanser and work well with delicately creamy sauces. Due to the lighter, more delicate taste profile of Chardonnay, you’ll want to stick to lighter meats and fishes as your base ingredient, including chicken, quail, trout, bass, halibut, cod, clams or scallops.

The high acidity and salinity in Chablis also means it will do well alongside raw fish and sushi. In terms of spice profiles, lean towards fresh herbs, white pepper, and low overall spiciness.

Roy

Please drink responsibly. For the facts, visit drinkaware.co.uk

Petit Chablis 2020, Domaine des Marronniers

Price: £18.49

Where: House of Townend/The Cellar Door, Melton

When: Now

Why: Fermented in stainless steel tanks, this is an elegant and crisp wine, with a steely structure, balanced in the mouth by notes of peach, baked apple and a nice chalky minerality.

Chablis Esprit de Chablis

Price: £14.99 (was £17.99)

Where: Waitrose

When: Now, while stocks last

Why: Beautifully smooth with a tiny touch of creaminess and flavours of ripe pear and crisp apple. Really sophisticated and pairs fantastically with seafood.

Why is it, when something becomes popular - and I mean really popularthere builds an immediate backlash - a noses in the air, “we know better” attitude that says anything with mass appeal must be short on quality.

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Vegan diets best for good heart health, according to new study

A plant-based diet could lower cholesterol and prevent arteries being blocked...

A vegan diet could drastically reduce the levels of cholesterol and fat in the blood, a new major study has revealed. Those who follow the plant-based way of living may have a lower risk of heart disease, with the diet said to work in the same way as statins - by stopping arteries from getting blocked.

Statins are a commonly prescribed drug by doctors in the treatment of high cholesterol, stroke patients, and those at risk of heart attacks and heart disease.

Researchers in Denmark conducted the mega study - said to be the largest of its kind ever undertaken - looking at the food intake of more than 2,000 participants.

Research lead and study author

Professor Ruth Frikke-Schmidt said their “really substantial” findings had revealed that consuming a plant-based and meat-free diet “corresponds to a third of the effect” of taking the cholesterol-lowering pills.

The study was published on 24th May in the European Heart Journal, which is a peer-reviewed medical

journal of cardiology, and was undertaken to look at the effect a vegan diet can have on the body and especially in regard to cardiovascular disease.

The Global Health Organisation says cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death globally, killing 18 million people each year.

Researchers looked at statistics from 30 random trials featuring a total of 2,372 participants, published between 1982 and 2022. They looked at a range of different factors, from the levels of cholesterol, as well as proteins and fat levels in the blood.

Researchers discovered that, compared to those who consumed animal products, vegans and

The best Vegan cookery books

Even if you have no intention of ever giving up meat, fish, dairy, or eggs, there’s a strong case for familiarising yourself with some of the best vegan cookbooks out there. Not only is keeping to a largely plant-based diet known to be better for your health, it’s generally much more sustainable as well.

Plant-Based India

by Dr Sheil Shukla

Dr Shukla pays tribute to (and expands upon) his mother and grandmother’s traditional Gujarāti cookery in Plant-Based India, one of the cookbooks I found myself turning to again and again in 2022 – and not just because it contains a near-perfect recipe for Pālak Tofu, a vegan take

on a classic paneer dish. “Let food be thy medicine” is the approach here – note the charts guiding you through the best plant-based sources of different vitamins. There’s an entire chapter on dahls, another on chutneys and raitas, and a refreshingly gentle philosophy about veganism throughout.

“I believe every step closer to a plant-based way of eating is commendable,” Shukla, a practising GP, writes. “It’s important that we are forgiving toward ourselves and that we give ourselves and others grace to make the choices that are best for each of us.”

Asian Green

by Ching-He Huang

Ching-He Huang’s Asian Greens is filled with dishes that are quick, simple, and affordable – a Godsend on busy weeknights when your determination to stay plant-based is most likely to falter. The recipes nod to a broad variety of Asian cuisines, and are built around fresh produce, tofu, seitan, tempeh,

vegetarians had lower levels of total cholesterol, bad cholesterol, and apoB - a protein that helps transport cholesterol through the body.

Plant-based diets were found to reduce “bad” cholesterol by 10 per cent and total cholesterol by seven per cent. Levels of apoB - the main protein in LDL cholesteroldropped by 14 per cent for those who were meat-free.

Study author Professor Ruth Frikke-Schmidt said: “We found that vegetarian and vegan diets were associated with a 14 per cent reduction in all artery-clogging lipoproteins as indicated by apoliprotein B.

“This corresponds to a third of the effect of taking cholesterol-

and whole grains. The Fast & Furious chapter –with dozens of healthy stir-frys – is particularly great, and will convince you to invest in a top-notch wok.

Mildred’s Vegan Cookbook

Mildreds is a vegetarian institution in London, and the restaurant’s first vegan cookbook is dairy-free as well. Enjoy some of the heartier dishes now – the butternut squash terrine with redcurrant stuffing is dinner partyworthy – and save the clever barbecue recipes for the warmer months.

The maple and thyme

lowering medications such as statins. If someone were to maintain a plant-based diet for five years this would result in a seven pe rcent reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease.”

Professor Frikke-Schmidt also told BBC News: “That corresponds to a third of the effect of a cholesterollowering statin (pill) - so that’s really substantial.

“Statin treatment is superior to plant-based diets in reducing fats and cholesterol levels.

“However, one regimen does not exclude the other, and combining statins with plant-based diets is likely to have a synergistic effect, resulting in an even larger beneficial effect.

“If people start eating vegetarian or vegan diets from an early age, the potential for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease caused by blocked arteries is substantial. “Importantly, we found similar results across continents, ages, different ranges of body mass index, and among people in different states of health.”

The effect was seen for both vegetarian and vegan diets and in people ranging from a healthy weight to obese, regardless of their age and underlying health conditions.

dressing is particularly great.

Ruffage by Abra Berens

If you’re a home chef who’s keen to move towards a more plantbased diet without going fully vegan, Ruffage is indispensable. A Midwestern farmer, Abra Berens’s knowledge of vegetables is encyclopaedic, with each chapter focusing on a single variety, from asparagus to turnips. You will learn how to identify the freshest produce; how to store it; and every conceivable way to prepare it. Also genuinely useful: Berens’s guide on how to adequately build a sustainable pantry that will enable you to turn any veggie into a hearty meal.

Enjoy your vegan cooking and food!

Summer Hiking Tips

Be Prepared

“Hiking strains are most likely to happen in the hamstring, quadricep, calf, groin and lower back muscles, with symptoms including pain when contracting or stretching the muscle, as well as tenderness, swelling and bruising. Get into the habit of stretching before and after a hike, and don’t overdo it if you are a beginner, resting between training sessions to avoid overexercising. If you are prone to sore feet, also consider investing in a pair of shockabsorbing insoles to protect your heel and support your arches.”

Find A Route

Prepare For Tougher Terrain

“Unlike walking on a treadmill or paved path, hiking involves more unpredictable variables. Whether it’s on a hill, through a forest or a coastal path the combination of pace, terrain, distance and elevation – plus the weather – will all contribute to how challenging a hike will be. The benefits of hiking really are endless. It conditions the cardiovascular system and improves leg muscle tone and strength. The calf muscles, meanwhile, are known as the ‘second heart’; as you hike, they pump blood and waste products from your lower extremities back to your heart to collect more oxygen. If you hike regularly, you’ll condition your muscles and cardiovascular system to become more efficient at burning calories, even at rest.”

Do It For A Better Mood

“As well as the physical benefits, taking your exercise outdoors is linked to an array of mental and wellness benefits, including improving mood, boosting immune function and reducing stress. A recent review of 11 major studies found that outdoor exercise leads to a greater sense of satisfaction and revitalisation, increased energy and an increased likelihood of repeating the activity compared to indoor exercise.”

Start With Your Shoes

“Comfortable and supportive footwear is arguably the most

important piece of kit when hiking. It may sound obvious, but wearing the wrong footwear can ruin a hike and cause longterm problems. Most hiking trails have uneven terrain and some form of elevation, making regular trainers an unwise choice. If you’re serious about hiking and plan to take on mountain treks or long adventures of ten miles or more, visit a specialist store to get a pair properly fitted. Be sure you break them in on shorter walks before taking on a long trek and trial using insoles for added comfort – you can always take them out on your walk if your feet swell. Look for hiking boots with good grip, shock absorption and ankle support.”

Don’t Forget About Socks

“Foot comfort is key. As well as wearing a quality pair of walking boots with adequate space in the toe box to accommodate feet as they swell throughout the day, you’ll also need a pair of quality, non-slipping, seamless and breathable walking socks, which are padded around the toes and Achilles. Don’t be tempted by cheap multipacks of socks – a pesky blister can totally ruin a day out in the hills.”

Dress For Success

“Once your feet are taken care of, dressing right is the key to a comfortable hike. Plus, as the saying goes, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing. Skip cotton anything – it gets damp quickly and is slow to dry, which can leave you feeling uncomfortable and can cause chafing. The high street is full of great, affordable brands that offer technical, breathable fabrics that will keep you feeling comfortable – there is no need to spend on expensive mountain and outdoors brands. For boots, I rate anything

by Meindl, Hanwag or Salomon; for mid-range clothing, look to Montane and Rab; CEP, Bridgedale and Hilly are great for socks; while Black Diamond and Leki do good walking poles. In cooler weather, wear several thin layers, rather than one or two thicker ones.”

Pace Yourself

“If you’re looking to get into hiking and see progress, try and walk every day, then plan a longer ‘hike’ as a regular, weekly event. Doing a hike once or twice then doing nothing for several weeks won’t bring any health benefits. When you’re heading off, start at a slower pace for the first 15 minutes to warm your system and to allow your breathing, heart rate and muscles to adjust to the exertion. This is especially important if you are hiking up steep terrain. Also, be sure to relax your shoulders and breathe deeply – we are a nation of shallow breathers as we sit so much and don’t allow our lungs to fully expand. It can also help to work on your core strength in the gym, which will help your posture when you walk. This, in turn, will ensure you breathe deeply to oxygenate your system. When hiking, always start off slower than you think. After a few miles, especially going uphill, you’ll be glad you saved your energy.”

Take A Map

“A paper map may sound old school, but if you’re heading out for several hours and if it’s somewhere you don’t know well, a physical map is essential. There are some fantastic digital apps and maps, but it’s good practice to know where you’re headed, especially if you’re heading to an area where there’s no signal, and to be prepared in case your phone battery dies. Poor weather can also affect phone signal, so a back-up is essential.”

“You may be eager to start with an advanced hike with jaw-dropping scenes for your initial adventure, but if you’re a beginner, start with shorter hikes that are no more than an hour or so with a maximum of 200m of elevation. AllTrails can help you find a route near you – the app sorts by difficulty level, and each listing includes the length and elevation gain of the trail as well as photos and reviews from other hikers. Choose a trail with recent reviews and updates for the most up-to-date information.”

Up The Pace

“More experienced hikers can try speed hiking – an effective way to make trail adventures more dynamic and increase the intensity through whole-body aerobic conditioning. Aim for a pace that’s faster than walking but slower than running – a happy medium is around three to five miles per hour. A test of endurance, speed hiking raises your heart rate, burns fat and gets the adrenaline pumping.”

Be Safe

“Never go on a hiking trip without telling at least one close friend or family member where you’ll be. Tell them where you’ll be hiking, what route you’ll be taking, who you’re going with and what time you expect to be done. Ideally, hike in groups – remember there’s always safety in numbers. On AllTrails, you can enable a safety feature that allows you to select up to five contacts so friends and family can track your activity and stay up to date on your whereabouts. Wherever you’re heading, always carry a small first aid kit with you – plasters, tweezers, forceps for splinters, insect repellent and sunscreen can all be useful. Antihistamines are also worth taking in case of bee sting allergies, as is a painkiller for aches and pains. Even if your hike is a few miles, unexpected circumstances can arise.”

Whether you’re climbing mountains in the Lake District or exploring a coastal path at Bempton, hiking is an easy and low-impact way to build up your fitness – and of course, the mental health benefits are well documented. From technique tips to the right kit, here’s what you need to know before your next adventure.

France, guided touring …

Here I am enjoying a wonderful experience in Brittany, the Breton’s call this little Britain and don’t refer to themselves as French. Being a Duchee in their own right for centuries before the revolution their mother tongue is Celtic and they often refer to Scots, Welsh and Cornish even mentioning bagpipes. They are proud to be one of seven Celtic Nations. I have to say this is not my first visit here but before I have travelled by car unescorted, wandered aimlessly looking at the pretty towns and had learnt little of the true history & culture. This time I am cruising the coastline and making the most of escorted tours ashore with wonderful guides who are absolutely thrilled to be showing off the counties of Brittany in all their glory and bringing to life times gone by.

Brittany enjoys many historical legends and most towns have their own saints. Unlike many areas of France this in not a wine growing area but has wonderful apples with which they make a delicious cider. You must try a Kir Breton!

Cruising from Southampton we had an easy start. On arrival at our terminal we were straight onto our ship the lovely Regent Seven Sea s Splendour picked for this different itinerary firstly hugging the Northern tip of France. You may well have noticed the name Finistre? Well this is Land ’s end in France! Brittany was estranged from France for many years and not popular as an area for the French to visit hence it did not have the road & rail infrastructure found elsewhere in the country which turned out to be a bonus. When the French did decide they would like to travel North the roads & high speed rail connections were built to the most modern of standards. You will not find any toll roads here either due to a law passed many years ago by Duchess Anne which still stands just as Napoleons law with land ownership in France. (ask if you need an explanation).

The landscape around the coastline between Brest and L ’Orient is very much like the Norwegian Fjords, I could not believe the scenery as we ate dinner last night. We have not enjoyed a day at sea yet as the sailing times between ports have just been overnight. Our included excursions (we had a great choice to choose from) have been exceptional, enjoying two a day.

St Malo our first port of call in the county of Cotes d ’Armor. We enjoyed a great introduction to the old city founded in the first century BC, the town is protected by its great medieval walls. Much of the walls have been rebuilt as the area was occupied by many Germans during the WW2 and the allies had to bomb the city in order to remove them. This is a spot that you can visit for a day whilst holidaying in Jersey or take a longer break sailing from Portsmouth. Our next visit was to the pretty town of Dinan, totally intact from the medieval times and not bombed during any war. Views over the river where stunning and the Cathedral had a lovely calmness about it.

Sailing west our next port of call was Brest, a large busy port from here we headed to Quimper again another old interesting town built at the confluence of two rivers the Steir & Odette. Following this we toured into the countryside for a visit to Plougastel Calvary - shown in the picture where our guide gave a quick resume of the new testament of the bible followed by a visit to Daoulas Abbey with amazing gardens full of medicinal herbs and endangered species.

Our last visit in Brittany was to magnificent Josslyn Castle where we were invited into the home of the Josslyn’s housing wonderful art and furniture rounding the visit off with a walk into the town and viewing the Cathedral. Now it is time to sail on to the fine wine area ’s Bordeaux’s vinyards, the Basque country and rounding off with a taste of Rioja!

With so many options available to travel around our wonderful world, the time to see them is upon us and I would recommend a holiday as a great tonic, as the saying goes “A change is as good as a rest”.

We look forward to fulfilling your holiday dreams and creating wonderful memories for you to treasure in 2023, 2024 and just out on sale 2025!

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We will also be holding two webinar sessions as part of the consultation on 27 June 2023 and 6 July 2023. Further details on how to register will be available on our website.

How To Feel Sexually Confident Later In Life

help you both experience more pleasure and make it feel less of a race to orgasm. Some couples find it helps to synchronise their breath as this naturally helps you to slow everything down and may also help you to feel more connected to each other. It’s important to enjoy the whole process, so switching up positions, rather than staying in one position can be beneficial, too. Experiment with putting a pillow under your buttocks whilst in the missionary position – this tilts your pelvis and can mean more stimulation of both your G spot and cervix. Make sure that both of you are comfortable, whatever position you’re in (this is especially important if you have trouble with knees, hips and shoulders). The more you can relax, the better.”

Communicate Your Desire

Accept Your Body Changes Over Time

“Many women feel shame, guilt or insecurity when it comes to their sex life, and it can feel worse as we age. What worked for us in our twenties doesn’t work for us in our fifties or beyond. In our younger years, we might have relied on alcohol to override our inhibitions or just tried to ‘push through’, as well as perhaps having easier access to desire. As we reach menopause and beyond, this becomes less of an option. Our bodies don’t tolerate alcohol as well as they once did and, due to hormonal changes, we may experience more vaginal dryness and tenderness, and an overall need to slow things down. All of these factors can contribute to a lack of confidence in the bedroom, which in turn stops us from fully relaxing and enjoying intimacy. It might show up as feeling disconnected from pleasure or being unable to express yourself – perhaps you find it hard to ask for what you’d like and to initiate sex or to communicate what isn’t working for you.”

Don’t Fixate On Orgasm

“Some of the best sexual experiences happen when you take the goal off the table. Yes, orgasms are amazing and wonderful, and

the incredible thing about the female body is that it’s capable of endless levels of pleasure. I’ve had clients rave about orgasms that have lasted for hours – but it’s not the be-all and end-all. The more pressure you put on a specific outcome, the narrower your experience of full-body pleasure will be, and the subsequent failure you – or your partner – will feel when an orgasm doesn’t happen. Pleasure, sensation, emotional connection and intimacy are far more important. At the same time, if you’re not experiencing the level of orgasms you’d like, it’s totally possible to work through this with the right support – and it’s never too late.”

Try Something New

“One of the biggest issues I see among my clients is getting stuck in a rut, especially if you’ve been with the same partner for decades. If you’ve ended up in habitual lovemaking (‘I do this and then you do that’), it’s inevitable that things will start to get stale. Women constantly tell me, ‘I love my partner but the sex just isn’t doing it for me anymore.’ A big problem is women

having sex out of duty, so then it feels like a chore. This inevitably increases resentment in the relationship and leaves both parties feeling frustrated and rejected, then nobody wants to initiate and nobody feels fulfilled. It’s okay to try new things and explore new ways of pleasure. You may well require longer foreplay, slower lovemaking and new ways of touching each other. For many of my clients, they discover that this is actually a gateway to experiencing more pleasure than they’ve ever had in their lives.”

Have More Foreplay

“So many couples rush to the main event and skip foreplay, which is an essential part of lovemaking. Slow caresses of each other’s bodies, verbal teasing and slowly undressing each other can really help. Experiment with caressing the less obvious erogenous zones, such as the insides of the elbows, backs of the knees and back of the neck. Spending more time being intentional here can help build desire and bring in freshness, which is so important if you’ve been with your partner for a long time. Being teased to the point of no return can also help you rediscover a sense of hotness, as well as the inner confidence that comes from feeling that you’re being desired by your partner.”

Take Your Time

“If your orgasm takes an hour, so be it. It can help if you can encourage your partner to slow down during penetration – slower thrusts may

“In my experience, when it comes to having confidence with a new partner after having been with the same person for a long time, it can go one of two ways. Some women experience a real, immediate sense of liberation and freedom, enhanced by the chemistry, hotness and newness of being with a new partner. Other women fear not being experienced enough, feeling awkward or worried that they’re not good enough. It’s important to remember that your new partner may well have similar insecurities about themselves. There’s a golden opportunity here to have an honest conversation about what your needs are and how you feel. Don’t be afraid to say, ‘I feel a bit vulnerable’. Remember it’s okay to take the time to discover what you both like, and that can be really fun and empowering. The more you can both focus on pleasure and less on performance, the better.”

Let Go Of Your Inhibitions

“Ultimately, true sexual confidence comes from the pleasure you feel on the inside and giving yourself permission to access that, and not what you think your body looks like – it’s not performative and it has nothing to do with your age. Communicate with your partner more and don’t be afraid to try new things – even if that’s just trying a different room in the house or a different time of day. Don’t give up on your sex life, either – it’s never too late. I have clients in their seventies discovering G-spot orgasms for the first time. You deserve pleasure – it’s not frivolous or a luxury. Our bodies are built for pleasure and we need it to thrive.”

Sexual confidence is all about feeling comfortable in your body, understanding what makes you feel good and being able to articulate what you enjoy in bed. Whether you’re in a long-term relationship, single or with a new partner, here are some tips for finding the spark in your sex life.

The New BMW 5 Series.

It’s BMW’s most successful saloon; now a new 5 Series is on the way, Roy Woodcock gets a sneak preview . . .

PLAYING computer games in the car?

Whatever next! But depending on your point of view this is either the most exciting or irrelevant feature of the new BMW 5 Series, heading to our roads from October this year. Even the driver can join in; but only when the car is stationary you’ll be pleased to know!

So, let’s get this “trivial” detail out of the way first. What we’re talking about here is a curved widescreen display unit (that also displays all the normal information required by the driver) that can be accessed via your smartphone, which also act as controllers for actual game-playing. It’s the result of a tie-up between BMW and a gaming platform called AirConsole. A connection is established by scanning a QR code and the selection of games available at launch includes racing, sports, quiz, simulation, strategy, jump-and-run and puzzle games. The portfolio of 20 or so titles is continuously expanding and includes “Go Kart Go”, “Golazo”, “Music Guess” and “Overcooked”.

A Travel & Comfort System is also available to provide customised entertainment in the rear. With plug-in couplings installed in the backrests of the front seats for attaching multi-function holders, tablets and other devices can be attached to serve as entertainment screens. The system also includes mounting options for clothes hangers and fold-out tables.

And now you’re over the shock of all that I have to say there is a lot of exciting “proper” developments with this new model - the eighth generation of BMW’s most successful saloon - including an all-electric version for the first time.

Priced from £73,200 the BMW i5 eDrive40 joins a new 520i petrol model and a potent i5 M60.

The range will be expanded early in 2024 with the introduction of the BMW 530e and BMW 550e xDrive plug-in hybrid models, which are expected to offer an electric range of 49 - 56 miles and 54 - 62 miles respectively.

Also set to join the model family in spring 2024 is the next generation of the BMW 5 Series Touring estate car, which will also be available with all-electric drive for the first time, as well as with plug-in hybrid drive and pure combustion engine drive.

The 520i saloon is priced from £49,850 while the all-wheel drive i5 M60 will cost from £96,480.

Performance figures for the petrol engined 520i are a 0 to 62mph acceleration time 7.5 seconds with a top speed of 143mph and fuel economy of up to 49.56mpg and emissions of 130g/km at best.

The zero emission i5 can hit 62mph is six seconds while the electric motor in the M60 develop 601hp giving it a 0 to 62mph time of just 3.8 seconds. Top speeds for the electric models are 120 and 143mph respectively with BMW claiming ranges of up to 361 miles for the i5 eDrive40 and 320 miles for the M60.

BMW says that the new 5 Series is a modern interpretation of the classic styling which has become a standard bearer for the brand for more than 50 years. The car has grown in length by 97mm to

5,06mm, in width by 32mm to 1,900mm and in height by 36mm to 1,515mm. The wheelbase has been increased by 20mm to 2,995mm for more seating comfort, especially in the rear.

It is also the first BMW in the UK to feature leather-free Veganza upholstery as standard, encompassing the seats, dashboard and door panels while the high tech BMW Interaction Bar first seen in the BMW 7 Series is now incorporated in the new 5 Series. The car is also available with a panoramic roof – the first time in the model’s history – and digital features are taken to a new high with cutting-edge additions of AIdriven servicing notifications. With the latest styling cues, the new 5 Series incorporates BMW’s latest kidney grille design flanked

by twin LED headlights. Boot space ranges from 520 litres on the 520i with 490 litres available on the i5 models to accommodate the electric drive units on the rear axle. Recharging to 80 per cent capacity takes 30 minutes according to BMW for the i5 and up to 97 miles of range can be added in 10 minutes.

All versions feature the previouslymentioned BMW Curved display which consists of a 12.3-inch information display behind the steering wheel and a control display with 14.9-inch screen, which merge into a single fully digital high-resolution display unit. The i5 M60 xDrive has motors on both front and rear axles which combined produce 601hp – 340 from the rear and a further 261 at the front. Maximum torque is 795Nm or 820Nm when the M Sport Boost or M Launch Control is activated.

The petrol engine in the 520i uses 48-volt mild-hybrid technology to boost economy and develops 208hp – 24hp more than the current engine.

But to finish I couldn’t resist highlighting another technical “advance” available with this car. Specifying the optional Tech Pack means you get an interior camera in the roof area that allows passengers to take photos and record video and sound to capture “special moments” and share them with friends or family. The recordings can be transferred by scanning a QR code in the control display.

But on a more serious note, the interior camera is also activated when the anti-theft recorder is triggered. Now, that is useful!

More details: www.bmw.co.uk

JOHNNY CASH ROADSHOW

Live in Beverley Minster Saturday 10th June

Only show to be endorsed by the Cash Family! Johnny Cash Roadshow is back and better than ever. This year, award-winning Clive John pays respect to the Man in Black, with a brand new show featuring ‘June Carter’ and the Spirit Band. With favourites such as Walk the Line, Ring of Fire, Jackson, Orange Blossom Special and Hurt it’s an emotional journey through Cash’s entire career.

‘His resemblance is uncanny’

– Rosanne Cash

Support Act • Licensed Bar

Tickets £25 • Doors 6:30pm

www.daltonevents.co.uk

Telephone: 01964 552470

TO WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO THE GIGS ON THIS PAGE GO TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE: Facebook/daltoneventsltd

UB40 - Doncaster Racecourse Gig

Best known for their hits such as ‘Red Red Wine’, ‘Kingston Town’ and ‘I Can’t Help Falling In Love’, UB40 announce they are to perform at Doncaster Racecourse on Friday 30th June 2023 celebrating 45 years of the band!

With over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 50 UK Top 40 singles and 10 UK Top 10 albums, UB40 are the most decorated and successful reggae group of all time. Formed in Birmingham in 1978, UB40 proudly wear their working-class roots on

their sleeves, championing causes and concerns in songs that tackle political and social issues head on. Capturing the hearts, minds, and dancing feet of disaffected British youth, their loyal audience has grown and evolved with them over the past 45 years, gathering new and younger fans along the way, thanks to the power and importance of music that continues to resonate today.

Tickets for the UB40 – Doncaster Racecourse show are available from: www.ticketmaster.co.uk

THE UNDERTONES play Barnsley Birdwell on Saturday 29th July

Tickets: https://thegigcartel.seetickets.com/event/the-undertones/ birdwell-venue/2595828

The Undertones emerged from Derry, Northern Ireland in 1974, the result of five friends learning how to play basic rock and roll. Even by the standards of that decade, Derry was not the rock and roll capital of anywhere and with no live bands worth watching, they learned their trade by listening to mail order records, reading one of the few copies of NME that made it to Derry but most of all from listening to John Peel’s show on BBC Radio One.

Practicing in their bedrooms eventually led to the band recording ‘Teenage Kicks’ in 1978 on Terri Hooley’s Good Vibrations label in Belfast. A copy was sent to the legendary DJ John Peel and he liked the track so much he played it twice in a row on his radio show!

Live The Undertones present a glorious set of classic tracks taken from what are considered by many fans and critics to be some of the best punk albums of all time, adding to them a whole bucketful of their iconic guitar pop hits & anthems, Get Over You, Jimmy Jimmy, My Perfect Cousin, You’ve Got My Number, Julie Ocean, Wednesday Week, and, of course, Teenage Kicks.

ALL ABOUT PLANTS, GARDENS and VEGETABLE PATCHES

inspire you to explore the world of plants more. This can be in so many ways, growing plants for flowers, vegetables, looking at plants in gardens like Burnby Hall or Burton Agnes, or in art, or flower arranging or using them to inspire art work et cetera.

I had quite a big garden in Beverley for over 40 years but have potted down now to a small beautiful courtyard garden. I am ten minutes from the allotment which I have had for 20 + years where I grow all I can in the way of vegetables and cut flowers.

I am passionate about plants - with or without flowers. I love plants, always have done even as a child. The other day I glanced through the Flower Fairy books (by Cicely Mary Barker) which sit on a shelf of children’s books that I will never part with. As a little girl I would read and read those books, loved the pictures and I realise now that the flower drawings are pretty accurate. That probably got me started, along with my grandmother’s knowledge of plants. On family walks and picnics in the Kent countryside she would always be looking for different plants and telling me about them. I learnt much from helping my grandfather in the garden. I have always had plants in my garden that remind me of him.

I would like these articles and the radio programme to be about plants, seeing them, growing them and discovering more about them and introducing new ones which, I hope you, my audience will be interested in. I don’t pretend to know everything about plants - who does? I’m not a professional but just someone who wants to share her enthusiasm and curiosity and learn more myself, and hopefully

I hope you will share your triumphs and disasters in the garden and on the plot or veg patch along with useful tips.

I think the programme will be once a month as yet I am not sure. The calendar will give us an obvious framework, so now we are in June I will start here. I have just enjoyed the final flourish of my big pots which I planted in the winter, enjoying parrot tulips and my favourite, Narcissus poeticus, pheasant eye narcissus.

them established and flowering again next year. I have no space in the garden now so I take them to the allotment.

Snowdrops do best if they are planted into a spare patch as soon as you dismantle the pot as they flourish better if planted in the green. They will naturalise but it will be a while before it looks like the drifts at Burton Agnes! (always worth a visit to see them in the early spring)

It’s been a strange year weather wise, a very cold snap just before Xmas and it finished off a lot of things that had survived overwintering in recent years and this year April and May have been up and down temperature wise and with rainfall. The tulips hate the rain weighing down their beautiful blooms. Geraniums have overwintered successfully recently and I’ve been able to trim them, feed them and coax them into another year but not this year. I do wonder if my dahlias have survived. I wait to see!

Wherever possible I use grey water, and on the allotment I have open topped dustbins to collect rainwater and when it doesn’t rain they are filled up from the nearby tap. Rainwater butts are a great way to collect water if you can find a suitable place for them. I haven’t decided what to put in my tubs yet but hope they are a colourful as last years!

I took the ‘bulb lasagne’ method of packing in the bulbs to the extreme with Scilla, snowdrop, Chionadoxa, crocus, grape hyacinth, large hyacinth, narcissi and all kinds of tulips (pictured left). Since January I have enjoyed a succession of blooms of all sizes, colour and forms. Now comes the great change over to summer / autumn interest. Many of you who can offer some protection for young plants will have got going already especially if you are lucky enough to have a greenhouse. Lifting the bulbs and sorting them is not a job I enjoy and I am always determined not to throw any away that look healthy. However, if you can find a spot in your garden to dig a few in you may be lucky enough to get

So, it’s goodbye to tulips and hello to summer borders, tubs, hanging baskets etc. various types of liners are on the market for baskets but I have always liked the effect with sphagnum moss but, as with peat, we gardeners are going to have to learn to love alternatives for the sake of the world’s peat bogs which, when healthy and growing, soak up so much carbon dioxide. They are wonderful ‘carbon sinks’.

Hanging baskets, troughs and pots need constant watering and to start off with good moist compost along with the gel that swells and retains moisture cannot be stressed enough. I have to run 4 litres of water before the hot water comes through so I always keep litre milk bottles to collect it and it’s a handy size for watering the baskets.

Jobs in June include sowing more peas in succession in small batches which I support using prunings from the blackcurrant bush or the canes cut back from last years’ autumn raspberries.

I’m going to try growing pea shoots this year to add to salads. Several varieties produce particularly good shoots, I will try Pisum Anubis Twinkle and Oregon Sugar Pod. With the threat of frost over (we hope) beans can be planted out or sown. Runners should be climbing up their supports by now. The flowers on runners can be various colours, red - white and are very attractive so you could grow them in a flower bed with support and make a feature out of them and get a double reward, flowers and beans! Other veg plants to try in borders are Swiss Chard ‘Ruby lights’ with its beautiful red, orange and yellow stems, and Italian Kale, Cavalo nero can bring texture to the border and well as sustenance! I once saw vegetables used in a decorative fashion to great effect at the Chateau Villandry, France. The formal garden which you would expect to see planted with

I would like to introduce myself, Sarah King, as the new writer of the gardening column in this magazine and also presenter of a forthcoming new programme on Beverley FM which we hope to get up and running shortly.

Pheasant Eye Narcissus.

Oregon Sugar Pod.

Sarah King

flowering bedding plants was planted with vegetables - ‘The Ornamental Kitchen Garden’. It has been there since the 16th Century, set out like a piece of embroidery planted with veg which give it colour and texture such as leeks, red cabbage, beetroot, carrots, chard and more. You can see that patches of these veg planted in spaces in the border or in pots can create the same effect in our gardens.

Salads can be sown little by little now, cut and come again varieties are great in pots and small plots. I am trying planting out the plants from a tray of growing salad leaves (top left) that I got from the shop. I know the idea is to grow them on a window sill but it is worth a try.

More carrots can be sown but look for carrot fly resistant varieties, e.g. Flyaway, Ibiza, Parano, if you cannot put a protective barrier round to keep the flies off. They stay close to the ground so a barrier about 1.5 ft should be enough.

Courgette plants and other Cucurbitas should be safe enough now the weather has warmed up.! plant them in a hollow so the rain runs down to the roots and you will often see sawn-off drainpipes or upside-down lemonade bottles with base cut off stuck in the ground with neck in the ground through which to water the plant ensuring the water is directed onto the roots.

Tomatoes will be taking off so remember to pinch out the side shoots in order to encourage the fruit. Tomatoes need frequent watering, feeding and like to be well staked.

Your greenhouse may need shading now so you can start growing some new seedlings for next year and bring cuttings on. Hopefully you have enjoyed a glorious display of pink flowers on your Clematis Montana. Once flowers are over it is time to cut it back. It can be a bit of a hooligan and needs to be kept under control! The same applies to Kerria japonica and other early flowering shrubs.

There is still time to sow some annuals like Clarkia and Godetia which flower later.

Wallflowers, sweet Williams and Brompton stocks can be sown now and the seedlings can be planted out later in early autumn to get established before winter. They are biennials so will flower next year. Wallflower plants which you buy on the market are normally mixed colours but if you want a particular colour for a colour scheme you are best to buy seed of single colour such as Fire King, a deep brick red colour. and the Sugar Rush range has many single colours. Out of doors you can sow Delphiniums, hollyhocks, lupins in preparation for next year but they may need protection if you cannot get them well established before winter.

Many plants will arrive on their own!! By self-seeding. Some a nuisance, others worth taking advantage of. If you don’t want the self-seeders cut them back before the seeds ripen. Foxglove, Aqueligia, Verbena bonariensis, poppy, Alchemilla Mollis, and forget me nots fall into this category, forget me nots being the worst culprit but they are lovely when in flower and knit everything together with their bright blue flowers. The secret with self-seedling plants is to recognise them when they are seedlings and you can transplant them or pull them up! The seed heads of some of these plants are worth looking at, they are works of art and have great mechanisms for spreading their seeds sometimes in vast quantities as in the poppy. A single poppy head can have up to 1000 seeds and each plant can carry at least 50 heads!!!

On the plot I find self-seeded (free!) plants hard to resist and I will transplant them if they are impeding something else. Swiss chard is always producing strong seedlings as is the Sorrel Sorrel is an acquired taste, lemony, a bit like spinach but gives excellent added flavour to spinach or Swiss chard soup and also is a good accompaniment for fish with a little added seasoning and a splash of cream.

I leave a patch of Lambs lettuce to go to seed and ripen then scatter it where I want it and it will produce a good crop throughout the winter when other salad stuff is expensive. I can always find a bit on the plot worth harvesting until end of April. If you let a parsnip go to seed it will feed the birds in winter and they will help scatter it and seedlings will appear, however I don’t think parsnip likes being transplanted as it’s roots tend to branch if it is disturbed rather than developing a sturdy tap root.

Out and about in the hedgerows and open road

Earlier this year the short drive towards Cottingham from Beverley as far as the Skidby roundabout was sparkling with the white blossom of the Blackthorn bushes. It is called the ‘Fairy Tree’ in Irish folklore and you can see why. It should be providing nesting for the Dunnocks and Thrushes along with food for caterpillars. If the hedges have been carefully trimmed, if at all, leaving the eggs of the Brown Hairstreak Butterfly we can expect to see the lovely small dark brown butterfly with a bright orange blob on each of the upper wings and a white streak along the base of the lower wings. The glorious array of cowslips on that roundabout and nearby have finished and again we must hope that the mowing has been done after the seeds had set. The hawthorn in the hedges has produced its leaves and now we are treated to the wonderful swaying branches covered in creamy white flowers. It puts me in mind of the David Hockney painting ‘Hawthorn near Rudston’ (pictured top right) Below the hawthorn are many types of grasses, pink campion, Jack by the hedge, cow parsley, white dead nettle, and my favourite moon daisies - along with a few bluebells. However, if you want to see bluebells at their best you need to go no further than Burton Bushes on the Westwood. The dandelions have just finished after a wonderful display everywherebut they will be back!

No mow May

No Mow May is a campaign started by the charity Plantlife a few years ago. Initially it was a UK initiative but it has spread worldwide now. The campaign continues and we have been asked not to mow lawns this year between May and September in order to encourage diversity of native plants and flowers. This in turn helps butterflies, bees and other insects to find plenty of nectar and encourage pollination. The results of the 2021 survey recorded over 250 plant species in lawns including some rarities, 25 types of moths and butterflies, and 24 types of bees. This significantly increased the pollen count and therefore fertilisation of the flowers. Among the plants recorded were daisies, Germander speedwell, creeping buttercup, wild strawberry, chickweed, dandelion, woodruff, hedge garlic and in some places rarities such as adders tongue fern, meadow saxifrage, snakes head fritillary, eyebright, various orchids - man, marsh, green veined and bee.

If you have a lawn it is worth giving it a go, it maybe a little late now but if these results have whetted your appetite, have a go next year. You do not have to give up your whole lawn to it just a strip or a couple of patches, maybe in different parts of the garden where the conditions vary, a damp sheltered spot and a drier more exposed one. Do write and send in your results if you are doing it this year along with photos which we can feature in another edition and encourage others to join in next year.

Sorrel.

Bee Orchid.

FIONA’S FOOD FOR THOUGHT

By Fiona Dwyer - Journalist, PR Consultant, DIY Your Biz PR Course Creator, Wife and Mum to two teenagers!

BLUE SKIES AT LAST

I am absolutely loving the gorgeous weather we’re having at the moment (I hope it’s still nice when you’re reading this!). When the sun shines and the sky is blue, everything seems so much more achievable! I’m waking up earlier, with the birds singing outside. Even if I’m tired I want to get up and get out with the dogs as soon as possible because I know a good mile or two walking will set me up perfectly for the day. It puts me into such a good mood and motivates me into action. In winter, I just want to hibernate, but the longer, warmer days definitely put a spring in my step! I hope you’re enjoying the sun. I must take time to drive out to the beautiful East coast for a walk on the beach and a swim in the sea – totally refreshing and great for your mental health.

CELEBRATING THE END OF EXAMS

I don’t know about you but we’ve had GCSEs and A Levels in our house this year so we’re going to be so glad when they’re over! Maybe your children have been doing SATs or they’re sitting exams at university. What I will say is that all of our children have worked really hard and overcome lots of challenges over the last few years so what ever happens, they should be proud of their achievements and celebrating their success. So, whether you’re moving on to secondary school, sixth form college, university, employment, starting an apprenticeship, having a gap year or anything else, here’s a big well done from me – and for those leaving school, good luck with the rest of your exams and enjoy the extra long summer holiday when you finish!

DISCOVERING TUTANKHAMUN AT THE FERENS

I haven’t managed to see the Tutankhamun exhibition yet at the Ferens Arts Gallery but it’s definitely on my to-do list for June, which is a good thing because it’s only on until June 18th!

It’s one hundred years since archaeologist Howard Carter and his patron, Lord Carnarvon, first saw these amazing golden treasures and we’re getting the opportunity to unearth the stories, myths and controversies surrounding them.

Hull Museums has its own collection of exquisitely crafted replicas found in Tutankhamun’s tomb. They were handmade by skilled artisans for the British Empire Exhibition in 1924 and 1925 when ‘Tutmania’ swept the world. I first learned about Howard Carter when I was twelve years old in one of my first history lessons at secondary school and I’ve been fascinated by ancient Egypt ever since. I am really excited about this and can’t wait to see it.

Have a great June everyone!

Fiona x

Twitter: @fionadwyer • Facebook: Fiona Dwyer PR

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